The head of security at the state's Aloha Stadium has been granted a request to be placed on paid vacation while state and stadium officials decide what his status should be in the wake of being indicted along with a liquor inspector last week.

Herb Naone, 57, head of stadium security, and James Rodenhurst, 57, night-shift supervisor for the Honolulu Liquor Commission, were indicted by a federal grand jury on allegations that they extorted about $500 a week from the owner of two O'ahu night clubs.

Both are former Honolulu Police Department officers. The indictments are an outgrowth of a massive FBI investigation that resulted in criminal charges against Honolulu police officers two weeks ago.

At a press conference this morning, Aloha Stadium Authority Chairman Kevin Chong Kee, said Stadium Authority members were unaware of the federal probe and were "surprised to learn" that Naone had been indicted.

"It was a shock to everybody involved," Chong Kee said.

He emphasized that the allegations against Naone "have nothing to do" with Naone's position as head of security at the stadium.

He said Naone asked to be placed on vacation for an unspecified amount of time following his indictment and that the request was granted. He said Naone had accrued "quite a bit of unused vacation."